Experts say Iowa should act to stymie flooding

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Experts say Iowa could do more to avoid flooding by limiting how much rain runs into the state’s rivers and streams. Stemming that runoff would include moves to tackle climate change and expand grasslands and wetlands to absorb rain where it falls.

The Des Moines Register says (http://dmreg.co/11Uo9W6) figures show that Iowa’s participation in the federal Conservation Reserve Program — which pays farmers to keep some land in native grasses and out of crop production — has dropped sharply as corn prices have risen.

In 1993, Iowa peaked with 2.2 million acres in the CRP. By 2008, acreage had dipped to 1.8 million. This spring, it stood at just 1.5 million.

Experts predict the threat of flooding will only grow as rainfall increases in the future due to climate change.